Just my opinion and not necessarily directed at you in particular, but I think many whites on Freerepublic say this in the same way many whites say "some of my best friends are black". Can that many Freepers really support Powell and Condi Rice for president when both are pro-abortion and pro-affirmitive action? Neither Powell or Rice could be considered "conservative"....unless you really twist the term into some sort of neo-conservative thing. If one "feels" they must vote for a black in order to prove their non-racist credentials, why not vote for a real conservative like Alan Keyes?
Of course there is a lot of that going around recently here on Freerepublic. Take for instance the threads on the so-called "Assault" Weapons Ban which Bush supports. You will find that many so-called conservatives use the same anti-2nd Amendment arguements that can be found at such vile leftist hang-outs as Democrat Underground.